Spelless in the Mage Tower first chapter

 

Spelless in the Mage Tower

By shadow Dragon

Prologue: Outside the tower

The girl slowly stretched her right leg up to almost vertical then brought it down, and repeated the action with her other leg, bowed to the tree in front of her and shifted into a fighting stance.

"Oh, Look, the spelless wonder is about to fight a tree! Why don't you give it up and…?" One of the boys of the village that was around the same age as her said, whatever he was going to add was lost as the girl spun and kicked the Redwood. Then threw a flurry of punches that snapped each of the twenty branches that fell from above her into at least two pieces, the last strike being a spinning backhand that landed a 4' long, 3 Inch diameter section of branch right where the young man's foot was coming down, causing him to face plant in the middle of the road.

Growling, the boy used wind magic to send the branch back at the girl, who deflected it easily onto the woodpile.

"A fall like that in the tower could be deadly. Can't fight if you can't see your targets." the Keeper of the tower said. "You won't have your father's wind magic by the tenth floor, you'll need to learn whatever path it deems is right for you. Remember, you will have to pick from what paths the tower gives you."

"I'll be a mage, just like my father." The boy, Alphonze snapped back.

"it could be, or you could end up only able to summon an igdo bird, it will be based on what the Gods of magic and the towers deem you worthy of. Not what any of us do. However, if you haven't practiced your martial skills, what you are likely to end up as is fertilizer."

"You would DARE say I am only worthy of being the lowliest of summoners?" the boy roared.

"I'm saying that it doesn't matter what any of us says, the Gods have established that what magic you get is decided by the towers, not by any mortal. Just think about what I told you."

"Keeper, may I speak with you after I finish my training?"

"I'll be in the tavern, I'll order food for both of us. You can pay me when you return from the tower."

"Were you anyone else, I would accept, but we both know that my surviving the tower will be a shock to everyone. If I pay you any money tomorrow, my success would be suspect and it would likely cost you your job. I'll cover my own meal." Seleria, the spelless girl said as she carried the wood she had gathered to a wheelbarrow. "Besides, I'll be doing a delivery of wood for the stoves at the Tavern anyway. I have a deal, I deliver a wheelbarrow of wood every three, six, and nine day, as a result I eat free every night."

"I'll see you there, Seleria." The keeper said.